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A Very Irregular Head: The Life of Syd Barrett Review2 page Forward, 4 page Acknowledgements, 5 page Introduction, 409 pages of text, 3 page Bibliography, and an Index. There are 16 pages (in 2 sections) of color and b&w photographs of Barrett, his family, PINK FLOYD, plus reproductions of a few of Barrett's artwork. This is actually a 3 1/2 star review, simply because of no in depth, definitive information on Barrett's mental condition."I don't think I'm easy to talk about. I've got a very irregular head. And I'm not anything that you think I am anyway"-Syd Barrett.
There are a few books about (the late) Syd Barrett that are worth reading, but this is the first authorized biography of Barrett to see the light of day. The author, Rob Chapman, who has written about Barrett for Mojo Magazine, had exclusive access to Barrett's family and friends, plus journals, letters, and artwork, to write the first truly in depth account of the troubled Barrett.
The book begins with Barrett's family and family life beginning in the 1940's. The depth Chapman goes into helps give an inside look at Barrett's life as a boy ( for instance how Roger Barrett became "Syd") and the many things that influenced him during this period. From there Barrett's friendships through his boyhood, his schooling, and his predilection for painting helps lay the foundation for Barrett's outlook on life. While no real diagnosis of Barrett's mental state was ever undertaken, the consensus of opinion is that Barrett, at the very least, suffered from some form of paranoia, which was exacerbated by all the attention he received, first in PINK FLOYD, and later with his solo music and his art. His use of mind altering drugs only made things worse. But Barrett used them to travel inside himself, where people who knew him during this time, felt Barrett seemed to want to explore, and where he felt he might find "something".
From that point Barrett's introduction to music, and meeting up with future PINK FLOYD band members, and early recordings ("Lucy Leave", "I'm A King Bee", etc.) is looked at in conjunction with Barrett's (and friends and acquaintances) use of the drug LSD. The early English music scene (1966), in conjunction with the left-leaning counterculture is put into perspective in relation to what was then called "pop" music and the beginning of a new type of music, including the AMM, SOFT MACHINE, and others, who played at places like the Marquee Club, and the Roundhouse.
Chapman also takes an in-depth look at many of the songs now famous by PINK FLOYD, including "Arnold Layne" and "Bike", as examples. He also writes about the pressures of being on the road, and how this begun to affect Barrett, and when he started to become unreliable and erratic in his behavior. But Chapman writes that Barrett's decline wasn't constant. During this period when most people thought of Barrett as unstable, he had many periods when his actions were very normal. During his period of slow mental decline a number of Barrett's friends speak about a number of good points they saw in Barrett. He seemed to have an inward energy that people seemed to pick up on, especially women, who wanted to sleep with him. He gave the impression of being a deep thinking person, even when he said nothing.
Barrett's sacking from the band, and it's effects on him is delved into at depth. After being forced out of the band, Barrett began his solo career. A number of songs he recorded ("Silas Lang", "Golden Hair") are used to show Barrett's use of poetic imagery in forming his songs. Barrett's struggle to record his music ("The Madcap Laughs" album for example) was very difficult for him during this time, with Barrett attempting to write record his songs over a long period of time.
The book goes into some detail concerning Barrett's slow decline by citing various interviews Barrett gave over the course of several years. In the beginning Barrett was eager to talk about his music and his band, only later to become more obtuse and non-linear in his answers. Barrett never really enjoyed fame, which is supported by a number of people who knew him during this period. In 1974 Barrett virtually disappeared from the public eye. This is the period when all the myths and stories began concerning Barrett's mental state-running onto an airport runway trying to hail an airplane like you would a taxi, trying on several pairs of pants, and seeing they fit, walking out of the store without paying, walking around in a dress, and other oddities are all here. But the myths surrounding Barrett were only a part of his, admittedly, troubled life. His continued use of mind altering drugs and how they contributed to Barrett's fragile mental state are told by friends and acquaintances who witnessed Barrett during this last stage of his withdrawal from life. But Chapman also writes about Barrett's somewhat undeserved reputation during this time because Barrett fit into the romantic category of a lost soul.
No one knows what, or how much, Syd Barrett would have contributed to both music and art had he led a "normal" life. This book goes further than any others into the life and surroundings of a troubled soul. Not only do we get an in depth look at Barrett, but the era in which he lived. Chapman, by putting those areas together, has woven the best look so far, at a man who never seemed to want fame and it's attendant problems. After reading this book you're left with a feeling of sadness for a man who never seemed to find his place in the world. Touched with mental illness, in combination with mind altering drugs, robbed all of us of someone with a unique talent in both music and art.A Very Irregular Head: The Life of Syd Barrett Overview"I don't think I'm easy to talk about. I've got a very irregular head. And I'm not anything that you think I am anyway."—Syd Barrett's last interview, Rolling Stone, 1971
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